The former president of the Johnnycake Elementary School PTA was convicted this week of stealing more than $9,000 from the group's bank account for her personal use.
Stacie L. Price, 39, who was forced to resign from the organization in April after admitting to the crime, waived a jury trial Thursday in Baltimore County Circuit Court and pleaded not guilty to a single theft-scheme count. Judge John J. Nagle III found her guilty and set sentencing for Dec. 2.
Price faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, although prosecutor Michael S. Fuller said she is unlikely to spend time behind bars because she has no prior criminal record.
Price's attorney, Isaac Klein, did not respond Friday to a message seeking comment about the case.
Court documents indicate that Price was ordered to pay restitution of $9,697 directly to the PTA's treasurer. The documents say she admitted on April 29 to taking $6,165 from the organization's Bank of America checking account. At least one check was made out for cash, without the two signatures normally required for such transactions.
An external audit requested by the PTA at the Catonsville school found that an additional $1,900 appeared to be unaccounted for from the proceeds of a book fair in November 2009. "Later on they found more money gone," Fuller said, which brought to $9,697 the total to be repaid.
The court documents say that Price "went to extraordinary lengths to conceal her crime." Among other tactics, she scanned a December 2009 bank statement into a computer and "manipulated the balances and removed transactions," later submitting the document to the PTA treasurer "as being accurate."
nick.madigan@baltsun.com
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Johnnycake PTA president convicted of stealing more than $9,000 from group's account
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